Branden Albert wants commitment

Branden Albert was absent from the start of the Kansas City Chiefs' offseason workouts Monday and said Tuesday that until he gets a "definitive answer" on whether he will be traded he'll continue to "stay away."

Albert told the NFL Network, "I want to be a Chief," but said he wants "certainty" about his future before reporting to the team. Albert was in the NFL Network's Los Angeles studios for the interview on the network's "NFL AM" program.

"[I want to know] if I'm going to be there long term. Right now, everything is uncertain," he said.

The workouts are strictly voluntary but Albert, the Chiefs' left tackle who received the team's franchise tag this offseason, was the only player absent. Albert signed his franchise tender worth $9.82 million late last month and therefore can be traded if the Chiefs find a deal to their liking.

He said he'll play this season on that one-year deal if he has to, "but I'd rather not," preferring to sign a long-term contract.

"I want that long-term commitment," Albert said. "But as you know in football, you don't have too much control of the situation. I want to play for the Chiefs, but I want that commitment long term."

He said he thought he was nearing a contract agreement with the Chiefs last season but those talks were with former general manager Scott Pioli.

"During the season we were negotiating, thinking we were going to come to terms, but things happen and now we're in the situation we're in now," he said.

He said he is staying in shape by working out in Miami. He said he has a deadline to have his situation resolved but wouldn't reveal the date he had in mind for that deadline.

When asked Tuesday if he would report to the team once mandatory workouts begin, he said he "hasn't even thought about" that yet.

Albert said he wouldn't be willing to move to right tackle, however.

"That's not something I want to do," Albert said. "I want to play left tackle. I've been playing left tackle the last five years of my career."

Monday's workout was the first time the Chiefs could gather as a team since coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey were hired in January, the two of them tasked with turning around a franchise that went 2-14 a year ago.

Reid said that he was aware that Albert would not be attending Monday's workouts. Asked Monday if he expects Albert to attend any workouts, Reid said simply, "We'll see."

"You'll find I don't really get caught up in that. The guys that are here we'll work with, and that gives the next man an opportunity to get better and get ready to play," Reid said. "I don't really want the focus to be on him, rather than the rest of the football team."